


For You? Anything.

by just_plain_fanfics



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Shopping, Fluff, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Trans Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 18:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13129578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_plain_fanfics/pseuds/just_plain_fanfics
Summary: A Christmas fic, including shopping for gifts, receiving gifts, and falling in love.





	For You? Anything.

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't think i'd make it in time for chirstmas, but here we are! i hope y'all like it!!

Keith wanders down the large expanse of the mall's hallway, looking from store to store. Is he really lost? Already? It's been about forty five minutes since he's entered the mall, he can't really be lost, can he? Well, He doesn't recognize anything nearby, so maybe he is. Keith sighs. Spotting a mall directory by a group of benches, Keith frowns. He'll have to check. 

Strangely enough, it turns out that he's halfway across the mall from where he needs to be. How could that have happened? Honestly, Keith is just glad Shiro isn't here to make fun of him. He takes a breath to clear his head, and heads off to find the escalator. 

 

Lush. He stands outside the store, wondering just why Lance had to want something from such a feminine store. Keith isn't shaming him for it, he just doesn't want to go into the store. For obvious reasons. He's trans, short, and while he thinks that he passes relatively well, he's already been called 'miss' twice today. 

Whatever. It's for Lance. The thought makes Keith smile, his lips twitching up. He can do this. 

He can't do this. Carefully placing a bath bomb back from where he got it, Keith glances around. People are milling about as they please, trying different sprays and creams and ointments, dying to get the Christmas sales. Keith reads the label again, trying to find a way to make some sense out of it. What the hell does a "Christmas miracle" even smell like? He sighs, turning around only to bump into a sales person walking behind him. 

"Oh, sorry! Can I help you with something, ma'am?" Well, make that three times, Keith thinks miserably. He might as well correct the sales lady, instead of biting his tongue like the last few times. 

"I'm a man, actually. And now that I think about it, could you help me pick out a gift for a friend?" Keith sees the sales lady flush in embarrassment as mentions his pronouns, and bites the inside of his cheek. He doesn't miss the once-over she gives him. He just hopes she won't make a scene. 

"Of course, sorry! There's so many people in here, it's hard for me to see clearly, ahaha!" Keith has to pinch himself to keep from rolling his eyes. 

That's a thing a lot of people do. Make excuses. Keith doesn't always want to doubt them, but when they get a full minute's time to look at his face, and there aren't too many people crowding around them, it's kind of obvious. Remembering the doubt on the lady's face when he had addressed her slip up, Keith grits his teeth. Grin and bear it, yeah? Grin and bear it. 

"A gift for your friend, you said? What is she looking for?" Keith promptly ignores the presumptuous 'she', biting his tongue once again. It's all he can do. What he's learned to do. 

"They really like bath bombs, but I'm not sure which ones to get. Also, does the store carry any face masks for a, um, lower price?" Keith had taken one look at the pricing, made a face, and scurried quickly back over to the bath bombs. Lance will have to make do. 

"Well, as for the face masks, there are the smaller plastic packages as opposed to the containers, which are only for one use and cost around five dollars each. What kind of colours and flavours of bath bombs does your friend like?" The sales lady looks at him expectantly, and Keith stumbles to come up with an answer. 

"Uh, the colour blue. But they also wear red more recently? I guess if the holiday specials are reasonably priced they would work too..." Keith pauses, unsure of what else to say. "That's all I can really think of."

"Well for the colours, we have a red blue set that just came in! Unfortunately due to a mix up at the factory the insides were messed up, so both of them have purple mixed in. The prices for that one have been reduced however, if you're interested." The sales lady points to the pile of reject bath bombs, and Keith nods. 

"That's awesome, I think that might just work! Thanks for your help!" Keith gives the lady a fake smile, and watches her walk off to find someone else to help. 

Grabbing two packages of the rejected set, they really were cheap, Keith heads over to grab a special one. There are so many scents and colours to choose from. So many. Keith doesn't think he's seen this many choices in his life. He ends up going with a peppermint scented one, thinking of how Lance would love the winter-y bath bomb. Keith grabs two "cheap" face masks too, since they happen to be buy one get one free. 

Trying not to think about how much money he's spending, Keith steps up to the till. The lady there smiles, ringing up his items and bagging them nicely. He just wants to get out of the store. It feels like people are staring, it always does, but the store doesn't help. When Keith has finished paying he's about ready to book it out of there. Unfortunately, it seems the cashier wants to chat. 

"A gift for a girlfriend? I'm sure she'll love it." The woman smiles, and Keith flushes up to his ears. A girlfriend? No! He's gay! Keith obviously can't say that though, he has no intention of dying in a gross and over crowded mall. Instead, he smiles politely.

"Something like that." He wishes. 

Keith is quick to leave the store after that, the big bag banging against his hip as he walks. He wonders if he got too much for Lance, if it was too much of a gift for "just friends". Keith knows Pidge would laugh if he said that, say something like how they "left the point of 'just friends' a long time ago", but Keith doesn't think that's true. 

They're just roommates, right? Sort of friends, made only because they were forced to tolerate each other. Not lovers. Not romantic, in any way. Just friends. Friends who agreed on giving each other presents much cheaper than the one Keith just bought. Because Keith can't control himself. So what if he'll have to work overtime to get some more money put away for the rent? It'll be worth it, to see the look on Lance's face. Keith is in love, and there's not much to do about it. 

Unrequited feeling are the worst, Keith knows this. But it's also kind of peaceful. In his mind, he knows lance won't see him the same way. Never will. But he refuses to give up on loving Lance. Not in a weird way. Just, as friends. Making sure Lance is happy. Consoling him this year, when he can't visit his family for Christmas. Helping him study, when finals get stressful. 

It's the least he can do. 

 

Keith is about ready to leave this stupid mall. About an hour later, with presents for everyone else, Keith is set to go. He almost runs out of the mall, desperate to get out of there, away from crying babies and entitled parents. Keith is glad he asked to borrow Shiro's car, even if it's the type of car a forty six year old soccer mom would drive. Shiro claims it's convenient. Keith says it's ugly. 

Stopping at the Holt's house is necessary, Keith needs to make sure to give Pidge and Matt's presents to Colleen so they won't get opened early. Keith knows that they don't celebrate Christmas, celebrating Hanukkah instead, but he still decided to give them gifts this year. He doesn't know much about the holiday, and not much about Christmas either, other than the hallmark version, but he did try to find white and blue wrapping paper for their gifts. It's nice to see Matt and Pidge's mom again, and Sam greets Keith warmly as well. Part of him, an ugly part, is jealous of what they have. A happy, whole family. He shakes off those thoughts, dropping Hunk's present on his family's bakery doorstep, a note attached to it to tell him who it's from.

Keith had dropped off Shiro's present at his mothers' house a few days ago. And as much as they begged him to stay, to celebrate it with them, Keith had to refuse. He has to be there for Lance. And, well, he's just not used to having a family to celebrate it with. He'd rather stay home and enjoy an evening to himself, knowing that all his friends have received their gifts. 

And that's what he plans to do. He gets home, yeah he's started thinking of his and Lance's apartment as 'home' now, and quickly stows the gift he bought in his room. He had already gone out and bought wrapping paper, so wrapping Lance's present quickly before he got home was easy. Well, 'easy' might not be the right word, because when he was finished there were quite a few uneven sides and messy looking corners. Not that it should really matter, since Keith is sure Lance will love the gift inside. 

"I'm home!" Lance's shout causes Keith to look up from his book, smiling slightly when he sees Lance poke his head around the corner. 

"I'm over here." 

"Oh! Hey, Mullet, how was your day?" Lance plops down on the couch next to Keith, putting his hands under his chin, smiling up at him. Trying not to flush and failing, Keith sighs. 

"It was fine. And no, Lance, I'm not going to tell you what I went out to buy." Lance pouts, an over exaggerated expression pulling at his face. 

"You wound me, Keith." Lance flops against Keith, leaning against him and dramatically throwing a hand against his forehead. Keith's bare arm burns where Lance leans against it, heat seeping into his cheeks. Keith swears it's like Lance is doing it on purpose to watch him suffer. 

"You'll get over it. It's Christmas, did you really think I'd tell you?" Keith shakes his head and Lance sniffs.

"You never know." Lance still pouts, and Keith has to turn away to avoid staring. His cheeks flush, a light red you wouldn't notice is there unless you were really paying attention to it.

 

Shortly afterwards, Keith disappears back into his room. There's only so much of Lance's smile he can take. Well, no, that's not the whole reason, he's just tired. He shuts the door with a quiet click and a murmur of goodnight to Lance. Through the thin walls he swears he hears Lance whisper goodnight right back to him. But then again he could have just imagined it. 

Keith slips into bed early, there's not much more for him to do today anyways. Christmas was never too big of a deal for him, much different than for Lance. He knows Lance misses his family this year, and he wishes he could do more than just feel bad. Whatever. Keith will make sure to try to celebrate with him tomorrow. Hopefully, his gift will be enough. A part of him, very small but still there, really can't wait for tomorrow. 

 

The next morning does not go as planned. 

Keith wakes up, still feeling tired. He rubs at his eyes, squinting to see the time. 10:20am. Why hadn't Lance woken him up yet? Keith had thought that Lance would be up by now, singing and making much more noise than the now dead silent house. 

Keith lifts himself out of bed, not even bothering to put on a shirt before walking out of his room into the kitchen. It's too quiet. The kitchen is untouched, the few decorations and empty stocking still unmoved. Keith's eyebrows scrunch up on his face, and he hesitantly calls out for Lance. 

"Hey Lance?" No answer. Now Keith is officially confused. He calls out a few more times, never getting a response. Checking all the rooms, Keith doesn't find a trace of Lance anywhere. 

It's then that Keith has the bright idea to check his phone. He rushes to the kitchen, turning it on to find a blank screen. Well, except for his background, a picture of Lance in the snow, smiling with a too-big scarf wrapped around his neck. It's risky having his phone around the house with the background, but Keith doesn't care. The picture distracts him for a moment, bringing a smile to his troubled face before Keith looks back up. Across the room he sees a piece of paper on the coffee table, something that wasn't there the night before. 

He picks it up, reading out the message:

_Hey McMullet,_

_There's been an emergency and I had to leave early this morning (don't worry, no one is hurt). You were sound asleep so I decided to leave you be, but I don't know when I'll be home tonight, or if I will be. Go ahead and open your gift, I left it under the counter in the kitchen (you know the one)._

_Merry Christmas, your (amazing) friend Lance._

_(P.S. I don't know if I'll be able to answer our texts, but I know you'll be thanking me.)_  
_(P.P.S. Seriously, I hope you like your gift. If you don't I might die.)_

Keith smiles. How very like Lance, the familiar scrawl heartwarming to see. He's still confused about why Lance had to leave, and what the emergency might be, but the note helps to sooth his worries slightly. He decides to send Lance a text even if he won't be able to respond, sending a single "Merry Christmas", before heading to the kitchen. 

There is indeed a large box under the counter, and Keith pulls it out quickly. He pauses for a moment, wondering if he should wait for Lance. Shaking his head, Keith starts to pull the wrapping paper off, curiosity getting to him. 

It's a sweater. A red knitted sweater, depicting the words "ho ho homo", with matching socks to go with. The socks had little cat faces on them, and Keith had to step back to cover his flushed face. 

God, he loves Lance. His brain is screaming at him, what a stupid thing to admit, why would he do that to himself? But all Keith can do is blush and try not to grin too hard. A part of him is glad Lance isn't here to see him, his reaction just going to show how far gone he is. Fuck, he loves this boy. 

Keith doesn't waste anymore time, rushing back to his room to slip on a sports bra. He pulls the sweater on over top, marveling at the perfect fit. It's warm and snug, and Keith immediately sinks into it. It also smells faintly of Lance, something indescribable but comforting. It reminds him of Lance's hugs, the rare ones he sometimes gets on special occasions. 

He pulls on some pants too because fuck it, he's cold. The socks fit his feet well too, Keith discovers, wiggling his toes happily once they're on. Keith heads back to the kitchen, cleaning up the mess of wrapping paper, dumping it all into the recycling bin. Checking his phone again, Keith finds a few new messages, none from Lance. 

_From: Shiro_

_Hey little bro! Merry Christmas! :)_

_From: Allura_

_Merry Christmas Keith! Your gift should be arriving in a few days (the order was slow T-T)_

_From: Pidge_

_Hey fucker, thanks for the gift. Yours should be at your door in four minutes from me sending this :)_

_From: Matt_

_Merry Christmas, nerd. Thanks for the gift, Pidge and I hope you like yours!!_

Keith smiles down at his phone, sending them all brief messages of thanks. He walks to the front door, wondering if Pidge really had put his present outside his door. 

Yep, she did. Well, it was probably both her and Matt, but Keith didn't really care. A large gust of wind blows in, and he shivers, quickly picking up the present and bringing it inside before shutting the door quickly. He opens the present quickly, tearing the wrapping paper open. 

It's a fucking robot. One Keith has wanted for a while, too. Pidge and Matt must have made it, Keith recognizes the tiny scribble of 'Holt" carved into the side. He smiles, it's so fucking cool. There's an instruction sheet to go along with it, and Keith gingerly picks it up. Once he thinks he's got a general understanding of how it works, Keith decides to test it out. 

"Wake up." The robot hums to life, a little head poking out of it's box-like body. It's so cute, Keith thinks, he needs to name it. 

"I'm going to call you Redding. Red for short." Keith smiles as Red hums happily in his hands. "There's a list of things you can do here, let's see...."

Keith picks up the instructions again, skimming through the list. He can make the bed, remind you about events, edit writing, and so much more. Closer to the bottom of the list Keith sees 'polish knife' as one of the options, and smiles. He loves being close friends with the Holts. 

Snapping a picture of himself with Redding on his shoulder, Keith sends it to the Holt siblings with the caption "Thanks for this little guy- I've named him Redding". He then sets his phone to the side, letting out a sigh. 

"Goodnight, Redding." The tiny robot recognizes his voice and the command, and tucks itself into a little square, falling into Keith's hand. Keith smiles, placing it on his desk. 

 

The rest of the day passes mostly uneventfully, with no calls or texts or even paper messages from Lance. It's about ten thirty in the evening when Keith admits defeat, quitting his pacing to flop down on the couch. He turns on the TV, turning it right back off again when the starting credits to a hallmark movie begins to play. 

He'll just close his eyes for a few minutes, Keith thinks, laying his head back against the couch. The day must have tired him out though, because Keith is within moment, his breathing evening out and his chest rising and falling with every breath. He sleeps, curled up Lance's knitted sweater with the present for Lance at the end of the couch. Keith's phone lays inches from his hand, screen lit up with new messages. 

 

Hours later, the door cracks open, and Lance steps through it. He notices Keith, a slow smile spreading over his face. Stepping over to the carpet Lance is careful not to make a sound, standing by where Keith lays, all sprawled out on the couch. 

It's seven already, and Lance wonders how much Keith would hate him if he woke him up right now. He decides to go for it, you only live once, right? Shaking Keith's shoulder lightly, Lance smiles. Keith looks really cute when he's asleep like his away. In his Christmas sweater too, Lance's brain helpfully supplies. 

"Mm? Lance?" And if that wasn't eh best thing Lance has ever seen. He wishes he could wake up to seeing Keith like that, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and smiling up at him with a confused look on his face. His brain warns him to stop teasing himself, that it's not going to happen. But the relieved look on Keith's face when he finally realizes what's going on is all Lance needs to discredit all those unhelpful negative thoughts. 

"Hey man, did you get a good sleep?" He doesn't get an answer, as Keith scramble up to a sitting position and throws his arms around Lance. Caught off balance and off guard, Lance looses his footing and the two of them topple down onto the couch. 

"You're back!" Keith grins down at Lance, his face flushed a bright red. His grin quickly turns into an embarrassed look, as he scrambles to get off of Lance. "Sorry, I didn't mean to tackle you like that." 

"Not a problem. Merry Christmas, I guess?" Lance smiles, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry I wasn't here yesterday."

"It's fine." Well, it's not really, but what else can Keith say? "What was the emergency?" 

"Well I'm not really supposed to tell anyone yet...." Lance makes a show of cupping his hands around his mouth and leaning down so he's close to Keith's ear. Keith shivers against the touch. "Hunk proposed to Shay, and wanted my help to do it. They're engaged now, finally."

"What?! That's amazing!" Keith's mouth falls open in shock, a smile cracking open his face. He's not mad at Lance at all now, not that he ever could be, but now he understands why it was so important for him to leave.

"I know right? I'm so happy for them! Just don't tell anyone, okay? And try to look surprised when they tell you." Lance gives a sheepish smile. Keith nods, his own lips twitching up into a grin. "So you like your sweater?"

"Yeah! It's really nice, Lance, thank you." Keith grins. "I have a present for you too, actually." Keith lifts the present up from the floor beside him, handing it to Lance. Lance grins, delight easy to read on his face. Keith gestures to it. "Well? Go on."

Lance tears the paper off easily, opening to box to find the items Keith had wrapped up. The grin on his face only gets bigger when he sees what it is, his eyebrows raised as he turns back to Keith. 

"Keith! You didn't!" Lance finally lifts the presents out of the box, setting them on the ground next to it and turning back to Keith. He sticks his arms out wide, and it's not hard to tell what he's asking for. 

Keith sighs, not unkindly, before kneeling forwards to give Lance a short hug. Except that it isn't short, because Lance doesn't let go. He hold on, his fingers digging into Keith's sweater, pulling him close. 

"Thank you so much." Keith swears he hears Lance sniff, so he hold him tighter, arms wrapping around the boy as if they were long lost lovers, finally found. 

"Please don't cry, I don't want snot on this sweater." Keith says it nicely, burying his face into the crook of Lance's neck. 

"Don't worry Mullet, I'm not gonna cry." They stay like that, holding onto each other without saying a word. When they do speak, it's hushed whispers, Keith's voice barely audible. 

"I was worried, yesterday. I missed you." Lance nods into his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry. I missed you too." Keith sniffs lightly, pushing his face farther against Lance's neck. The hug had long since left the "just friends" type, but neither of them cared to comment on it. Yet. Keith wonders if he should say something, anything, just to tell Lance. Confess. Get one type of weight off his chest. 

So he does. 

"Lance I-"

"Hey, Keith-"

"Oh, sorry. Go ahead." Keith keeps his eyes glued to the floor. 

"No, you go. Sorry I interrupted." Lance gives him a small encouraging smile. 

"I just wanted to- to let you know that I.... That I like you. A lot. Probably more than you would ever like me." Keith tries to draw back, as soon as the words leave his mouth he tries to back out of the hug, but Lance's firm grip keeps him held there.

"Keith. I... I like you too. Probably more than you like me." A competitive smile is all Keith can see from where he's still hugging Lance, but it's all the confirmation he needs. 

"Oh yeah?" He smiles.

"Yeah." Lance smiles back. He leans down close to Keith, pausing just before they're touching. "Is this okay?" 

"Yes, always." Keith leans up to connect their lips, melting into Lance's warmth. He feels like he could cry. Or laugh. Or yell, really loudly, so everyone knows just how happy he is. But he doesn't do any of those things, he just keeps kissing Lance, never letting go. 

 

"Hurry up! We've got to go to the balcony!" Keith drags Lance away from the bar as soon as he's finished pouring his drink, not minding the bit of dark liquid sloshing out of his own glass. 

They rush out to the balcony, just the two of them, as people below them begin to chant.

_"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4...."_

Keith smiles at Lance.

_"Three...."_

Lance smiles back.

_"Two...."_

They join hands, stepping so that they're closer together. They both raise their glasses. 

_"One! Happy New Years!"_

Lance kisses Keith, leaning him down into a shallow dip. Alcohol spills form both their glasses, but neither of them seem to care. It's as if they're the only two people in the world right now, and that's just the way they want it. Keith laughs into Lance's mouth, and Lance tastes the alcohol and joy on his lips. It'll be a good year, Keith thinks, as he kisses Lance again. Yeah, it'll be great.


End file.
